Apparatus for making copies



Aug. 13, 1963 w. LIMBERGER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COPIES Filed N ov. 7.1960 klnunrlnlllll-llllailllllr lllnllllll all!! f claims United StatesPatent() t 3,1st,4s2

APPARATUS ron MAKING cortas WaltenLimhergen Hambnrg-Poppenhnttel,Germany, as-

Thisinvention relates to an apparatus tor making copiesby using twoVsheets of copying paper, one of which is passed together with theoriginal to be copied initially through an exposure device, andthereupon together with .the other sheet of copying paper through adeveloping device.

In making copies according to the -diiusion method the sheets of copyingpaper consist of the so-called negative and positivewsheets Lot paper.If already the operation of an apparatus, into which duringone-operating step three sheets vof'paper (the original andl two copyingpapers) have to be introduced, and which possibly requires othermanipulations yet, is rather intricate, the operation is rendered morediicul-t yet by the fact that the negative paper is 'light sensitive.Therefore this sheet of paper must be removed quickly from a container`and -introduced into the apparatus, and at the same time it must Ibealigned at least with the original too.

'Ilstnanipulation requires relatively great skill, and in spite of itspoilage cannot be -avoided with certainty.

-For storing particularly light sensitive paper it is known to use sheet`dispensing containers out of which these sheets of paper-may betransported by means of a` handlever anda mechanism arranged'within thehousing ot the dispensing-container. rIlhese ydispensing containers parewith respect :to the exposure device separate means, and thereforealways a certain transporting path is required to transfer'the negativesheet of paper to the apparatus `for making copies. i

. One'obiect ot the invention is to provide an apparatus forv makingcopies lin which the Vdisadvantages of the known devices are avoided,which is simple to manupaper is pushed to the entrance of the developingdevice n by the extraction ot the first sheet of copying paper.

By means of this arrangement only one actuation i-s requiredk toroperating two sheet dispensing devices and,

even though two sheets of copy paper Vare beingfed, the associatedapparatus for making copies may lbe actuated like` 4'an apparatus usingonly one sheet of copy; paper y which, if desired, may additionallybereadily rachieved kin a very advantageous manner with the sameapparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment the ,handv lever for dispensing thefust sheet of copy paper is also connected with a corresponding feednoller arnangementby means of lwhich the `second sheet of copy paper ispushed in la position ofreadiness. Suitably the connection be-v tweenthe hand lever and the feed roller arrangement tor the second sheet otcopy paper provides. tor a reverse movement with respect tothe directionof dispense .of the 4first sheet of copy paper, so that bot-h sheets otcopy paper are dispensedV in opposite directions.

, rillte reversal of movement may tor example lbe achieved in such amanner that the hand lever having the form of a `pensi-ngk devices 4, 5.

l Patented Aug. 13, 1963 ICC draw bar is actuating a double armed leverthe ends of which each control a feed roller arrangement.

` According to an especially advantageous embodiment a non-rotatablefeed element is disposed fwithin the dispensing device tor the secondsheets of copy paper, said sfeed element'bein-g moved in :the samedirection las the `f-eed roller arrangement within thevdispensing'device tor the Afirst sheets of'copy paper. This feed element cooperateson the one hand with an abutment edge, eg. a face wall of the housing ofthe dispensing device, and on lthe other hand with a rake pivotallyengaging the top of a pile of paper sheets in such a way that always, ininitially moving the feed element in a first direction, the top sheet ofpaper is bent upwardly by abutting said edge and simultaneously is drawnforwardly Ifrom beneath the rake, said top sheet lbeing pushed over therake into a position of readiness when the feed element is moved in asecond opposite direction. This `second movement is |assisted by thetact that the resiliency of the bent-up portion of the sheet abuttingthe edge will act in a direction of .the second movement.

This second movement corresponding to -a return movement of the handlever maybe lleft to the operator having to rnove the hand lever for oneactuation lboth directions. Preferably however the hand lever isconnected with l'a spring movingfthe hand lever back automatically.

In the position of readiness in front of the developing device transportmeans must -be provided which will take care of further .transportingthe paper, but which must also provide tor a stopped position of .thesheet of paper in its position of readiness. This transporting means maybe' formed iby pairs of rollers which will enga-ge the sheet ofcopyingpaper, and which is driven inexact timing, or the transportingmeans may preferably be formed by acurved transporting path and at leastonetransporting roller which will be engaged Kby the sheet of paper, dueto its inherent resiliency when it is bent inpassing the curvedtransporting path.

A preferred embodiment according 'to the invention provides for anarrangement of thesheet dispensing devices in a superimposed positionbelow an apparatus for making copies. In this it is preferred to providea staggered arrangement in which the upwardly facing exposed Yportion ofthe lower forwardly projecting sheet dispenser is forming a lid fordispensing the sheet of paper which has to 'be fed into the apparatustogether with the original to be copied.

Additional advantages and features'of .the invention will become evidentfrom the following'descript-ion of one embodiment, shown by way otexample only in the attached drawing. i 1

rIfhe drawing shows a sectional side view Vof an apparatus in accordancewith the invention.

Below an apparatus denominated in its entirety with the referencenumeral l1, comprising within a housing an exposure device 2 `and adiffusion developing device 3, there are provided two functionallycombined lsheet dis- The sheet dispensing device 5 which, if a diffusiondeveloping device 3 is used, contains the positive Vsheets of paper,partly extends into the housing 6 of theapparatus 1, ie. it is disposedvat least with its rearward end position above the bottom plate '7 ofthe apparatus. rl'ihe sheetdispensing device 4 serves in the illustratedembodiment to receive a stack of negative sheets of paper. The housing8( of the sheet dispensing device `4 is arranged at least partly belowthe housing plate 7 .and between .the legs 9, 9 of the apparatus.

Both sheet dispensing devices project beyond the apparatus 1 at itsoperating side. The bottom plate 7 needs not extend over the samelength. As may be seen inthe drawing a staggered arrangement ispreferred, being such that the housing S of the sheet dispensing device4 is pr`onegative' sheets of paper on its bottom. forward end isprovided with a curved upwardly extending guide surface 12 `which indispensingwill guide theforward ends of the sheets to thelsurface 13 ofthe housing 8..sa.id surface 13 being exposed upwardly bythe staggeredarrangement of the sheet dispensing devices. The surface A13 is formedby a lid which is shown at 1-4 in its open position. Thus the -lid 13covers the dispensing opening of the housing 8 of the lsheet dispensingdevice 4 in a light proof manner and is -only opened when a sheet ofpaper is passed out.

A hand lever vin form of a draw bar 15 is serving to actuate the sheetdispensing device 4, said hand lever Vbeing guided longitudinally o-none lor both side walls of the housing Sfor example, in bearing bushings16, 17. A bridge 1,8 arranged within the housing and extending acrossthe stack of sheets is fixed to one or both arms of -the draw bar 15.APivotally attached to this bridge 18 is a pivoting lever .19 which iscarrying a feed roller 20 at its -free end facing the dispensingopening. This feed roller 20 engages with the weight of thisarrangement, formed by the feed roller 20 :and the pivoting lever 19, onthe top sheet. It should be noted however that, according to aV.preferred embodiment, the pivot point is selected at a location that-the draw bar 1-9 is declining somewhat towards the end carrying theroller.

The roller is rotatable only in the direction indicated by the :arrow 22and is blocked against rotation in the opposite direction. Therefore, ifthe draw bar 15 is pulled forwardly the roller cannot rotate but takesthe top sheet of .paper along, due to the fric-tional force caused bythe `pressure of the weight. If the draw bar 15 is returned, either byaction fof the operator, or by the force of'spring, the roller mayrotate, ie. it may return over ythe pile of sheets substantially withoutfriction, so that no feeding action is exerted on the top sheet.

It may he seen fromrthe drawing that within the circumferential surfaceof the roller 20 an -axially extending strip 23 is provided consistingof a material having good frictional lcharacteristics. This strip 23extends radially beyond the circumference of the roller 20. 'Ilheadjustment of the roller 20 is such that the strip 23 will he directedobliquely downwardly in the starting position of .the advance movement,thus acting directly upon the uppermost sheet of paper when the 'drawbar is actuated. `In an arrangement with such a strip 23 thecircumference of the roller is dimensioned with respect to the path ofmovement of .the drawbar 15 in such a manner that the return movementfrom the position 24 shown in dashed lines to the starting positionshown in full lines will cause an angular movement of the roller 20about 360 so tha 60 the strip 28 will return to its initial position.

Furthermore a cam slide 25 having a rounded cam surface 26 at its`forward end is mounted on at least one arm of Ithe draw bar 15'. Thiscam surface 26 cooperates with an actuating lever 27 for the lid 13, 14.When the cam surface 26 engages the actuating lever 27 which extendsinto the lhousing 8 the lid 13 will be raised into v -lbottom plate 7 ofthe housing 6 into the sheet dispensing paper.

29 of the sheets of positive The legs 28 are ydisposed laterally of thestacks 11, 29 and are extending through yslots provided in the |bottomplate '7. A pivoting'lever 3d corresponding to the pivoting lever 19 ismounted rotatably on the legs device 5 above the stack 28, a feedelement 31 being arranged at the free end of the pivoting lever 30. Thisfeedelement 31 is shownV Below the pivoting lever 30,'Which preferablyis formed i by a U-shaped lstirrup, the leg or legs of which aredisposed above the side walls of the fbox 'for the stack of i. papersheets 29, supporting means, preferably formed Iby a roll 74, arearranged in such ia way, that .the feed element 31 is lifted off, or theengaging pressure respectively is relieved Ifrom the stack 29 when thefeed element is in its inward position, as shown vin full lines. This isachieved in connection with the supporting means 74 by a declinedarrangement of the pivoting lever ,39, or the pivoting llever armrespectively, toward the feed ele ment 31, the pivot point 75 Ibeingarranged in such a height that the arm of the stirrup-likeY pivotinglever 30 moves in its retracted position on top of the supporting means74 thereby lifting the feed element, while upon forward movement it willmove away from the supporting means 74. The same yeffect would 'beattained if for example -a wedge-like engaging Vsurface 'wouldbearranged on the Ilower iside of the pivoting lever 30 in such akmanner that the wedge-like surface would be moved in engaging contact onthe supporting means 74.

Y The face lwall of the housing 10 is defining the forward end 0f thestack 29. This face wall extends over the height of the stack. Apivotally arranged rake 33 is restmg on the rear endof the stack .29.This pivotal rake is hingedly connected at 34 with a guide path 35 for aposi-V tive sheet of paper. It should be noted that it is importarlttciave the stack 29 extend at least below the pivotal ra e 'Y When thedraw 4bar 15 is actuatedrthe feed element 31 means of this, 4initiallythe Ifeed element is brought into engagement with the top sheet of paperwhich thereby will 'be taken along if the movement is continued and, asshown yat 37, will thereby be -bent upwardly caused by abutting againstthe face wall of the housing 10. The length `0f the path of movement, orthe dimensioning of the parts respectively, is such that the rear edgeof the top sheet of paper, which is bent upwardly at its front edge, asshown at 37, is pulled forwardly Afree from fbelow the rake 33. Uponreturn movement of the draw bar 15, and therewith of the |feed element31, the top sheet of paper 1s taken along, this movement -being assistedby the *stress inherent in thebent portion 37. In its re-` tractedposition the feed element is lifted, as already described. As the rake33 is resting already with its sharp edged end 38 on the next sheet `ofthe stack after the top sheet has been advanced, the rear edgeof the topsheet will move upon the return movement of the ifeed element 31 ontothe upper side of the rake 33 so that thls Isheet of paper is moved intoa position yof readiness 1n front of the developing device 3 on the`guide path 35. Due to the fact that the 'feed element 31 is lifted freefrom the stack in its starting position, the little frictional forces ofthe elements acting on the sheet of paper will sufce to advance thesheet of paper.

l The arrangement for moving the sheet'into its position of readinesscomprises the guide path 35 with the curved portions 39, 40. Withinthese portions transportang rollers 41, 42 are arranged with spacedrelation to the guide path for rotating movement in the directionindicated Iby the arrows. The arrangement is such that the top sheet ofpaper is moved through the curved portion 39 already, when rit is taken-along by the feed element 31 lon its return movement. Due (to itsresiliency the sheet of, paper will4 contact the roller 41, therebybeing advanced-to Ithe guide path-35'. The sheet of paper will movethrough the curved portion 40,*un`til it engages an abutment 43 providedin the -feed path tothe bath of the'jdeveloping device. 1 The stronglycurved portion 40 ensures a relatively great component-of advance to be`exerted onl the sheet of paper, but at -the same'time allowing, kdue tothespace between the guide path'35` and the transporting rollers 41,42,.free rotation of the rollers relative the sheet of paper, which isstopped on the abutment 43. When the abutment 43 isv released, as shallbe described followingly, the component-of advance becomeseiective andthe sheetof positive paper is moved into the developing device with :arate determined by the speed of the roller `42. `The abutment 43comprises. an actuating rod 45 guided on rolls 55, 56 for reciprocatingmovement, `as indicated by the arrow 44, said actuating rod 45 beingprovided vnwith an abutment 146 lat one end. This abutment, for

example, cooperates with a pin 47 mounted on la pivotal segment 48 whichis arranged Within the housing 6. The pivotal segment is moved into Itheillustrated position by a weight 49 which is suspended on the pivotalsegment 48. A rotating lever 50 is connected, the pivotal segment 48,said rotating lever controllingthe movement of the voriginal to becopied vand the negative sheet of paper,

For the sake of completeness it is pointed out that a source of light S7is arranged within la housing '58 having ia transparent exposure plate59, and serving at .the same time as .la reflector. Mounted on therotating lever 50 is la tongue 60 extending overy the exposure plate 59and reaching to the introduction slots. An arman-gement of rollers 61,62 and belt 63 is provided serving as a drive, The original to be copiedis received above la stripper 65 and removed through the slot 64 ontofthe housing 6. r[the tongue 60, for example, is provided with arib-like abutment 66 which will be engaged by thel original to be copiedas it is driven bythe belt 63, whereby the tongue 60 and the rotatinglever 50 zare moved to the position 53. The stripper 65 is formed insuch a way that it will sidewlardly extend beyond the abutment 66. Theexposure device 2 comprises la supply container 67 for the developingliquid, and sa bath container 68 provided withv two passage ways. Fromythe bath container 68 the positive and the negative sheets of paperrare moved viaithe guide suriaoe 69 land la pairof squeezing andtransporting rollers 70, 71 toward the exit slot 72 through which .theyare moved ont ofthe apparatus.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for making copies by using a first and la second sheetof copying paper, said iirst sheet ci copying paper being initiallypassed through first processing means and then together with the othersheet of copying paper through second processing means, said apparatuscomprising a housing, first processing means arranged within saidhousing, first inlet means within said housing through which said firstcopying paper together with an original to be copied are -fed totheinlet of said first processing means, first outlet means arranged onsaid housing through which said original :after having passed said firstprocessing means is moved out of said housing, a second processingmean-s arranged within said housing, first guide means extending fromsaid fir-st processing means to said second processing means forpassi-ng said tirst copy paper trom said first processing means to saidinlet mea-ns of said second processing means, second outtlet meansarranged within ,said housing for moving said sheet dispensing means andsaid inlet Vto said -second processing lmeans-for guidingone of saidsecond sheets of copy paper dispensed by said first sheet dispensingmeans l :to said inlet of said second processing means, second sheet,-dispensingmeans arranged on said housing adapted to receive a stack ofsaidfirst'sheets of copy paper, first feed vmeans for removing one ofsaid first sheets of copy pape-r outofsaid second sheet dispensingmeans, second feed y for feeding one of -said second sheets of copypaper to said second guide means, said first and said second feed meansbeing drvingly interconnected so that upon removal of one of said iirstsheets ofy copy paper out of said second sheet dispensing means one ofsaid second sheets of copy paper -will be removed out of said firstsheet dispensing means and fed to said second guide means, commonactuating means for said iirst land second feed means extending out ofsaid housing, and guide means in one of said sheet dispensingmeans foryguiding said actuating means for reciprocating movement.

2. An apparatus Vaccording to claim l, in which spring means areprovided connected with one end with said hand lever and with the otherend with said housing, said 'spring means becomingfstressedwhen saidhand lever is moved in one direction.

3. An apparatus according to claim l, in which said hand lever issupported for reciprocating movement on saidsecond sheet dispensingmeans for said first copy paper, -a pivoting lever is rotatably mountedon said hand lever, yand a roller is mounted on the free end of saidpivoting lever, said roller being rotatable in one direction only andresting on the stack. of said irst sheets of copy paper.

4. An lapparatus according to claim 3, in which an insert strip offriction increasing material is mounted on the circumference of saidfeed roller extending exi-ally therealong, the circumference of saidfeed rolle-r being dimensioned with respect to its working stroke so asto rotate through an angle of approximately 360 when said ond feedmeans, said actuating means comprising a handV lever guided in one ofsaid sheet dispensing means and coupled with connecting meansinterconnecting said first and said second feed means, said connectingmeans being arranged for reciprocating movement within said first andsaid second sheet dispensing mean-s, said second sheet dispensing meansbeing 'arranged within a housing, the sheet dispensing end of which'having closure means arranged lthereon =adapted to be opened, couplingmeans the cooperating parts of which being mounted on the one hand onsaid housing closure means and on the other hand on said hand lever insuch -a Way that said closure means will be opened when one of saidfirst sheets of copy paper is removed from said second sheet dispensingmeans.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said coupling meanscomprise la yslide `and la pivoting lever, said slide being mounted onsaid hand lever and being provided with a cam surface, said pivotinglever being mounted on said movable closure means, said cam surface onsaid slide and said pivoting lever engaging each other upon movement ofsaid hand lever causing said closure means to 'be moved.

7, An 'apparatus [according to claim l, in which actuating means areprovided extending out of said housing kand connecting means beingdrivingly connected with said feed means for simultaneously actuatingsaid first and said second feed means, said first feed means comprising;

a non-rotatabie feed element, a pivoting lever, ramp means for lsaidpivoting lever, the arrangement being such that said pivoting lever isrotatably mounted on said connecting means, said feed elem-ent isarranged on the free end of said pivoting lever, and said ramp means forsaid'pi-votof copy paper, rake means hingedly connected with said secondguide means the free end of said rake means restingl on the top ysheetof Vsaid stack of second copy papers in a Zone adjacent its one end,Kand an abutment `edge provided at the opposite end of said sfheetdispensing means against which the facing edge of a second sheet of copypaper will abut when said -rst feed means are actuated lfor pulling theopposite edge of said second sheet of copy paper out from Ibelow saidrake means, said second sheet of copy paper will Ibend upwardly in thezone between said abutment edge and said `first feed means when thelatter `are actuated.

l'8. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the second -feed meanscomprise; a curved guide surface, at lleast one driven transportingroller spaced-1y arranged from said guide surface, but journalled in thezone of curvature causing said second sheet of copy paper to bend whenmoving into said second guide means and to contact at ieast onetransporting roller 'due to its inherent re- 8 Y, silieney, `therebyIbeing moved against abutment Vmeans arranged within said second guidemeans, said abutment means Abeing movably supported in such Ia vvaythatu'pon Vactuation said'rabutment mean-s may be retracted'out of saidsecondl guide meansthereby allowing-,said second sheet `of copy paperretained in said ,secondfguide means by said abntrr'rentl means to passsaid second guide lmeans and to Ibe fed to theinlet of said secondprocessing means;

' 9. An'apparatus accordingwto claim" 8', in which coupling means arearranged :between saidlrstguide means and said abutment means 'insuchjjaWay," that-sjaidabntment means .will be retracted out of said `secondguide means when said iirst sheet'of copy paper moves into vsaid inletof said second processing means.

1,0. 'Ilheapparatus yas set forth in claim 1, in ,which said .iirst andsecond feed means are movable back and forth along the top of said firstand secon-d stacks, respectively,

said first feed means feeding the top sheet from said first stack `whenVsaid iirst and second vfeed means are moving in one direction, and saidsecond feed means feeding the' top sheet from said second stack whensaid first and second `feed means are moving in the `-other direction,

v References cited in the s1@ ojf this patent. Y

UNITD VSTAT ES PATENTS' Y Limberger Ian. '31, `1956 Ricord` Ma'yk 17

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MAKING COPIES BY USING A FIRST AND A SECOND SHEET OFCOPYING PAPER, SAID FIRST SHEET OF COPYING PAPER BEING INITIALLY PASSEDTHROUGH FIRST PROCESSING MEANS AND THEN TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER SHEET OFCOPYING PAPER THROUGH SECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISINGA HOUSING, FIRST PROCESSING MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, FIRSTINLET MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING THROUGH WHICH SAID FIRST COPYING PAPERTOGETHER WITH AN ORIGINAL TO BE COPIED ARE FED TO THE INLET OF SAIDFIRST PROCESSING MEANS, FIRST OUTLET MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID HOUSINGTHROUGH WHICH SAID ORIGINAL AFTER HAVING PASSED SAID FIRST PROCESSINGMEANS IS MOVED OUT OF SAID HOUSING, A SECOND PROCESSING MEANS ARRANGEDWITHIN SAID HOUSING, FIRST GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRSTPROCESSING MEANS TO SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS FOR PASSING SAID FIRSTCOPY PAPER FROM SAID FIRST PROCESSING MEANS TO SAID INLET MEANS OF SAIDSECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SECOND OUTLET MEANS ARRANGED WITHIN SAIDHOUSING FOR MOVING SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND COPY PAPERS OUT OF SAIDHOUSING, A FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID HOUSING ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE A STACK OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER, SECOND GUIDEMEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS AND SAID INLETTO SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS FOR GUIDING ONE OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OFCOPY PAPER DISPENSED BY SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS TO SAID INLETOF SAID SECOND PROCESSING MEANS, SECOND SHEET DISPENSING MEANS ARRANGEDON SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STACK OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPYPAPER, FIRST FEED MEANS FOR REMOVING ONE OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPYPAPER OUT OF SAID SECOND SHEET DISPENSING MEANS, SECOND FEED MEANSARRANGED WITHIN SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS FOR FEEDING ONE OFSAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER TO SAID SECOND GUIDE MEANS, SAID FIRSTAND SAID SECOND FEED MEANS BEING DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTED SO THAT UPONREMOVAL OF ONE OF SAID FIRST SHEETS OF COPY PAPER OUT OF SAID SECONDSHEET DISPENSING MEANS ONE OF SAID SECOND SHEETS OF COPY PAPER WILL BEREMOVED OUT OF SAID FIRST SHEET DISPENSING MEANS AND FED TO SAID SECONDGUIDE MEANS, COMMON ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAID FIRST AND SECOND FEED MEANSEXTENDING OUT OF SAID HOUSING, AND GUIDE MEANS IN ONE OF SAID SHEETDISPENSING MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATINGMOVEMENT.